Demons And Darkness
by Sciencefictioness
Summary: Levi is a scout, and protects his village day and night from feral yokai, demon like creatures who feast on human flesh. When the chieftan of his village is killed by the beasts, Levi's father takes over, making Levi heir. Then a drunken night in the forest leads to dark consequences, and Levi is left with a yokai of his own. Cover image by whiteyoukai.


**Chapter Text**

Levi staggered through the dark forest, legitimately drunk now as he weaved through the trees. When he reached his destination, a clearing with an ancient broken altar to some dark forgotten God surrounded by crumbling overgrown stones, he upturned his bottle and sucked the last of the bitter liquid down. Upon realizing it was empty, he threw it at the largest of the rock pillars. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash, leaving a wet stain where it impacted, and the scout in the back of his mind scolded him. Outside the village walls at night, alone, drunk and noisy... it was like asking to be eaten by yokai. His hands fingered the hilts of his swords unconsciously, a gesture born of repetition. He could unsheathe that pair of blades and kill a dozen of the monsters in his sleep. He doubted he'd need to draw his swords. Levi knew better than anyone how few there were in this area, since everyone feared this place, said it was cursed, inhabited by spirits and demons. Only Levi dared to come here. He came because he knew he would be alone, unseen by prying eyes, unheard by listening ears.

He felt something wet dripping down his cheek and reached up with his fingers, wondering when he had started crying like a lost child. When he pulled them back they were bloody and he realized some of the glass must have ricocheted back at him and sliced his face. Levi hadn't even noticed. He made his way over to the disused altar and sat down, wiping his blood on the stone. Levi saw that his shirt was stained red as well. _Fuck._ He shucked the garment, tossing it unceremoniously to the earth. _Who needs clothes, anyway._

Ever since his uncle had been killed by feral yokai on a trip to a nearby settlement, Levi's life had been spiraling downhill. He'd hated his uncle, did not mourn his loss, but now his father was the village chieftain and suddenly everything was different. Now instead of his younger cousin, he was expected to lead Mitras one day. The people of the village did not even pretend to be upset about this, elated that Levi and his father were now in charge instead his tyrant of an uncle and the sociopathic monster he'd been raising. Everyone was overjoyed. Everyone except Levi.

He did not want to be chieftain, the weight of their tribe on his shoulders. All Levi wanted was to be a scout, protect his village from monsters, yokai and human alike. He was never happier than when he was deep in the forest, blades slicing through beastly flesh, wind in his cloak as he climbed through the trees like he'd been born in their branches. Fighting those who would cause his people harm, side by side with his master. Master Erwin. _Shit._

Levi had known Erwin all of his life, had felt the sting of his fists as he trained him, heard his swords singing in the night as they carved through their enemies together. For so long his eyes had been seeking him out in crowds of people, ears tuned for voice, nose twitching at the hint of his scent. Levi fell asleep at night with his image twisting through his mind, and woke wondering just where he was, what he was doing. What he was thinking. Afraid that his master would realize the immensity of Levi's feelings for him. Then more afraid that he wouldn't. The scout had spent so much time making sure that he would never find out that he never stopped to ask himself if he really wanted to hide it. He'd let something precious to him slip through his fingers.

 _Erwin is getting married._ To fucking _Petra,_ of all people. Levi could not even hate her for it. His fellow scout, who he respected, who had saved his and Erwin's life just as they had saved hers, time and time again. It was no wonder he fell for her, someone strong and fierce and brave who was also soft and sweet. Levi put his face in his hands, feeling his world spinning in a way that's had nothing to do with the alcohol coursing through his bloodstream. For as long as Levi could remember, he had been in total control of himself, of his life. His fighting was top notch, the execution of his patrols and raids flawless. Levi's world was clean and regimented, every aspect of his life ordered, everything tucked in where it belonged. Especially his emotions. Folded up and hidden away deep inside where they belonged. Where they could not ruin anything, or chase Erwin away with their intensity. He kept himself under such a tight leash to keep his shit together, when he desperately wanted to fall apart. Levi's eyes stung, but he refused to let any tears fall.

Now his father was talking about marriage, and how he needed to strengthen Mitras relations with several nearby villages. How he should choose his wife from one of their chieftan's daughters and produce an heir quickly. He'd told him, and not for the first time, just how fucking impossible that was. _"The impossible is what you do best. Look at it like a battle you need to fight, if that's what you need to do. Be victorious in this. It will protect your people in a way that your blades and strength alone cannot."_ Levi wished his old man would've at least hit him, or railed at him when he told him he didn't want a woman, but a man. Then maybe he could've been a little more angry at the bastard. But no, he'd just looked like his heart was breaking for Levi, face full of sympathy.

Levi wanted to beat that pity out of him with his fists.

Levi was tired of order, and control, and perfection. Right now, he wanted utter chaos. Total destruction. Levi wanted to watch the forest burn down around him, fire born of a torch he himself had lit in the darkness. His life was nothing but duty and suffering. Levi wanted a new one.

He jumped to his feet and turned around, eyes full of questions as he gazed at this once sacred place. A god left behind by people who thought he had forgotten them. He must have. This place was full of flesh eating monsters with horns and claws and fangs, thirsting for the flesh and blood of mankind. Not because they needed it to live, but because they lived to devour. Those who had abandoned this place were right. No god worth worshipping would leave their children to this fate. Levi drew his swords, wanting to lash out at something, to break, to rend. In the end, he just buried them in the soft earth, holding himself up with the blades as bent at the waist and screamed.

He screamed until he thought his throat would bleed, until every yokai for miles around would be cocking their heads in the night, feet carrying them towards the scout waiting in darkness. Levi wanted them to come. Right now, he needed to take somethings life, feel it bleed out under his steel.

Then the earth began to shake beneath his feet, and the altar he had just been sitting on began to crack, the stone pillars all around him quaking. Something was glowing on the stone before him, a purple-black light, and it took a moment before Levi realized it was his blood. The liquid began to smoke, just little at first before growing larger and larger. Soon there was a tower of dark fog, roiling in circles. The scream of a yokai echoed in the distance, chilling and inevitable. Levi heard a voice in his head, and though he'd never heard it before it was familiar, an echo creeping out of his dreams to spin through the void of the night.

 _I thought you'd never come._

Light flashed, and the smoke before him vanished like it had never been there at all. In it's wake a figure stood naked. A boy, muscled and pale with dark hair and fierce green eyes that glowed with ethereal light. _Not a boy._ Horns curled up from his temples, black and shining in the moonlight. A long, sleek tail twisted around from behind him, swishing and swaying. He was a yokai, had to be. His bretheren screeched in the night, drawing closer. The scout could hear them now, flying through the trees and brush towards their meal. Levi readied his swords, prepared to cleave this beasts head from his body. Then the yokai locked gazes with him, and Levi could not move. Could not breathe. Those eyes knew things Levi could not dream of, read all of the secrets he kept deep inside. This demon saw all there was of Levi, past and future, swallowed up in that dark stare. His head tilted, curious, smile playing across his lips. Levi's gaze drifted down over toned flesh and strong arms, black hair messy around those sharp horns. His tail curved up to wrap around one of his wrists absently, and Levi felt envious. He wanted to wrap himself around this beast, too.

 _What the fuck?_

Levi shook himself, lowering himself into a fighting stance and waiting for the yokai to attack. He was so preoccupied with the one before him he had forgotten those he summoned with his scream until one let out a hiss. It was right behind him, too close, and Levi thought that it was a shame he was going to die here, weak and helpless in front of this magnificent creature. The yokai's face twisted in fury before he leapt, up and over the scout. Levi heard a wet sound and turned to see the demon in front of him tossing another yokai's head into the trees. The beasts could be human, if it weren't for their horns and claws and vicious teeth, hungry for human flesh and the taste of suffering. The beautiful yokai moved in closer to Levi, and the scout was frozen in shock as he stepped in between him and the advancing beasts. Three more appeared, and before Levi could blink they were falling, blood streaming from their necks, heads rolling across the ground towards him. One landed against Levi's foot, and he kicked it away, cringing as he felt the mouth moving against his toes . There was movement in the trees, and Levi was afraid. There were too many of them. He had been foolish, and stupid, and now he would die here, never see his father or master ever again.

The naked yokai was a shadow in the night, moving too fast for Levi to see, and everywhere that shadow paused carnage followed. Blood and beastly moans filled the air, a blur of death in the wind. After a few minutes everything went quiet, and then his yokai was before him, magnificent, covered in splashes of red. _My yokai?_ He wore a maniacal grin , the joy of taking a life that deserved to be taken. Levi knew that joy, had worn that expression so much he could feel the ghost of it on his face. Then, the yokai _spoke._

"You were so damn slow, I thought I'd never meet you." Levi felt his mouth gape open. Yokai couldn't speak. They were like animals, beasts without souls.

"Who are you? What are you?" That smile grew predatory, eyes slitting deviously.

"I'm Eren, and I'm yours."

Actions


End file.
